appiness and enjoy it.
It was not his problem to solve. He could turn the evidence over to
the Brotherhood once his contract was over, and better and more capable
people than he could settle the Lani legal status. But the inner voice
that had called him bestial now called him shirker, coward, and slacker.
And this, too, could not be borne. The case of the Lani would have to
be pursued as vigorously as he could do it. They were entitled to human
rights--whether they wanted them or not.

His first idea of making the spacer operational was a good one, Kennon
decided as they finished the inspection of the ship. Even if it was
never used it would make a good means of retreat. He grinned wryly. In a
guerrilla operation such as the one he was considering it would be wise
to have a way out if things got too hot. The heavy parts, the engines
and the controls, were in workable condition and would merely require
cleaning and oiling. Some of the optical equipment would have to be
replaced and fuel slugs would have to be obtained for the drive--but
none of these would be too hard to accomplish. The slugs from any of the
power reactors on the island would serve nicely. All that would have
to be done would be to modify the fuel ports on the ship's engine. The
spindizzy would have to be disassembled and checked, and the main leads,
embedded in time-resistant plastic, would have to be examined. The most
serious problem, however, wouldn't involve these things. The control
board wiring and circuitry was where the trouble would lie. Normal
insulation and printed circuitry wasn't designed to last for thousands
of years. Each wired circuit would have to be removed, duplicated, and
replaced. Every printed panel would have to be cleaned and receive a new
coat of insulating varnish. Working full time, a four-man electronics
team could do the job in a week. Working part-time the two of them might
get it done in three months. And the other jobs would take at least
another. Add a month for errors in judgment, lack of materials, and
mistakes--and another for unavoidable delays--it would be at least six
months before the Egg would be spaceworthy.

Six months.

Not too long if everything went well, but far too long if there were
any mistakes. He would have to be careful, yet he must not give the
impression of being careful. He shook his head. Being a subversive was
going to require a greater amount of acting ability than he had ever
been called up